Chapter Forty: Ascending to the Heavens in One Step

“Mr. Xu, you’ve truly done us a great favor!”

The moment Ji Yun caught sight of Xu Yuan, he rushed over, far more excited than Ji Wu, gripping Xu Yuan’s hand tightly and refusing to let go.

At the same time, a particularly massive figure came bounding over.

“Xiongba, stop right there!”

Ji Wu was startled and quickly barked an order. Ordinarily, Xiongba’s temperament was extremely stable; apart from his fascination with food, he might look fierce and powerful, but in truth he was lazy and sluggish. Even when facing enemies, he put on a fierce façade, yet he always seemed uninterested and listless.

Only in Xu Yuan’s presence did Xiongba grow so animated, to the point of recklessness. Perhaps the beast himself sensed that, of all the people he’d met, only Xu Yuan could withstand his exuberance—a passion no ordinary person could bear. So in front of Xu Yuan, Xiongba never held back, always unleashing his wild nature.

But such unrestrained enthusiasm was a bit much for most people: a brush could injure, a bump could kill—it was impossible not to feel a shiver of fear.

“Stop,” Xu Yuan commanded, casting a stern glance at the black bear. Then he asked, “Xiongba? Is that the name you gave him?”

“Yes,” Ji Wu replied with a sheepish grin. “You never told me his name before, and it didn’t seem right to keep calling him ‘Black Bear’ all the time. So I named him Xiongba—‘Overlord of Bears.’ What do you think, Mr. Xu?”

Xu Yuan’s lips twitched, and after a moment’s pause he said, “It’s a fine name.”

“I’ve already asked Shulan to start preparing a meal. Let’s go inside and talk.”

Ji Yun laughed heartily, extending an invitation. As the two men and the bear entered the living room, the first thing to catch the eye was a vast chair, hewn entirely from bluestone.

To call it a chair was generous; it was more like a massive chunk of bluestone hollowed out—clearly not meant for people.

“What’s this?” Xu Yuan asked in surprise.

“That’s Xiongba’s chair,” Ji Wu explained, patting the bear’s huge belly and gesturing.

Xiongba immediately climbed onto the bluestone throne, resting his forepaws on either side. He looked for all the world like a bear playing at being a person.

“Ordinary chairs can’t take Xiongba’s weight for long. After one or two uses, they either break apart or collapse. So I asked a stonemason in town to find a huge slab of bluestone and had this made for him,” Ji Yun added.

“Looks like he’s living the good life here—even has a seat at the table,” Xu Yuan joked.

“The backbone of the Ji Escort Agency isn’t me anymore—it’s him. If Xiongba could talk, I’d have to ask him to take the seat of honor every day,” Ji Yun quipped, clearly in high spirits.

It was no exaggeration to say that the Ji Escort Agency was replaceable—Xiongba was not. There wasn’t another beast like him, not just in Qingshan County, but in the entire Xishan Prefecture.

A creature that was simply fierce had little to admire and was more likely to inspire fear. Xiongba, however, possessed overwhelming strength while also displaying an uncanny humanity. He understood people’s intentions with startling accuracy, and in the year since he’d arrived, he’d never caused any major trouble—except, perhaps, when he pretended not to hear, like when he snuck honey.

Yet compared to the benefits Xiongba brought, these trivial issues hardly mattered.

Ever since that battle escorting the imperial shipment, when the notorious criminal known as the “Champion of Crimes” tried to ambush them, Xiongba’s fame had spread throughout Xishan Prefecture. This was due not only to the fact that the criminal was a wanted man who had repeatedly troubled the authorities and never failed before, but more so because, faced with armored bandits, Xiongba truly lived up to his name—a single swipe for each opponent, none could withstand even one round!

The criminal’s cunning was alarming, but not as immediately obvious as Xiongba’s sheer strength and destructive power—something even a child could see.

Even an ordinary man with no martial skill, clad in armor and wielding a weapon, would have to keep his distance; seasoned warriors with ten years’ training would be wise to avoid him, lest they end up in dire straits.

Of course, wearing armor made people slow, so escape was always possible. But for escorts like them, running meant failure—it was exactly what the enemy wanted: to win without a fight.

But Xiongba refused this outcome. Armor or no armor, one layer or several, it made no difference. Under his paw, all were equal.

From that day forward, the Ji Escort Agency’s reputation soared.

Strictly speaking, it was Xiongba who basked in the limelight. Even the imperial court expressed interest in him.

Alas, the suitor was eager but the bear was indifferent. Whether it was the court’s men or others plotting to win Xiongba over, he never showed the slightest favor, not even a hint of courtesy.

People tried to lure him with his favorite honey and syrup—he’d happily eat the treats, but ignore the people entirely.

And if three days went by without seeing Ji Wu or Ji Yun, he would start to howl. Though smart enough not to harm anyone, when it came to wrecking the house, no one could stop him.

Back when the government shipment reached its destination, officials did everything they could to keep Xiongba for a month. In the end, they realized—apart from Ji Wu and Ji Yun, no one could command him. Better to send him back than risk him tearing the place apart, or worse.

Even outsiders couldn’t handle Xiongba, nor could Cai Shulan.

Ji Yun, unlike Ji Wu, never thought of himself as “destined” to be Xiongba’s master; he’d outgrown such childish notions. Apart from the two of them, not even Cai Shulan or Ji Wen—both close to the family—could get his attention. Clearly, blood ties had nothing to do with it.

After much thought, Ji Yun could only guess that, since Mr. Xu had introduced the two of them to Xiongba, the bear recognized them out of respect for Xu Yuan.

Perhaps Xu Yuan himself did it with little thought. But for the Ji Escort Agency, it was a life-altering favor—an act of grace that transformed their fortunes.

With Xiongba at their side, the agency was instantly elevated from a respectable name in Qingshan County to a force known throughout Xishan Prefecture. It was no exaggeration to call it a leap to greatness, saving them decades of effort.

Now, with troubled times looming, strength was the only true reassurance. The agency’s business soared, attracting lucrative deals they’d never dreamed of before...

After all was said and done, it all came down to one thing.

“Mr. Xu, you must have a few drinks with us today! We won’t leave until we’re drunk!”

Ji Yun slapped his chest, brimming with vigor, his whole being revived as if in a second youth, his voice filled with pride and boldness.